What Diseases Can Rats Give You? (Risks of Dealing With Rats

Brown Rat jumping over a railing

Rats have lived alongside humans for thousands of years, and unfortunately, they’ve brought some unwanted guests with them: diseases. These rodents can carry and spread various illnesses that can make you seriously sick. Some of these diseases are mild, while others can be life-threatening if you don’t get treatment. So what disease do rats give … Read more

Why Do Rats Have Black Eyes? (The Role of Eumelanin

Brown rat next to a wire fence

If you’ve ever looked closely at a rat, you’ve probably noticed their small, dark eyes staring back at you. These beady black eyes are one of the most recognizable features of rats, but they actually serve some pretty interesting purposes beyond just looking a bit creepy. So why do rats have black eyes? Rats have … Read more

Why Do Rats Get Zoomies? (Releasing Pent-Up Energy

Fancy rat

If you’ve ever watched pet rats during playtime, you’ve probably seen them suddenly take off running around their cage or play area like they’ve lost their minds. They’ll sprint in circles, bounce off walls, do flips, and basically act like they’re supercharged with energy. This behavior is often called “zoomies,” and it’s both hilarious and … Read more

Why Do I Have Rats in My Yard? (Food & Trash Is Luring Them

A group of Brown Rats drinking water

Walking outside and spotting a rat darting across your lawn or disappearing under your deck can be pretty alarming. Most people don’t expect to see rats in their yard, especially if they keep things relatively clean. But rats in residential yards are actually more common than you might think. If you’re dealing with this problem, … Read more

Why Do Rats Yawn? (What It Tells About Their Mood

Gambian Pouched Rat on a table

If you’ve ever watched a rat closely, you might have caught it in the middle of a big yawn. They open their mouth really wide, sometimes showing all their teeth, and it looks just like when a person or dog yawns. It’s actually pretty cute and funny to see such a tiny animal doing something … Read more

Why Do Rats Have Yellow Teeth? (The Role of Iron in Enamel

Brown rat next to a wire fence

If you’ve ever gotten a close look at a rat’s teeth, you probably noticed something surprising. Instead of being white like human teeth, rat teeth are bright yellow or orange. At first, you might think the rat has really poor dental hygiene or something is wrong. But actually, those yellow teeth are completely normal and … Read more

Why Are Some Rats White? (Albinism vs. Leucism

Female albino rat with her litter

Most people picture rats as brown or gray animals scurrying around in alleys or sewers. But if you’ve spent any time in pet stores or science labs, you’ve probably seen rats that are completely white with pink or red eyes. These white rats look totally different from the wild rats most people are familiar with. … Read more

Why Do Rats Wash Themselves? (Grooming Explained

Brown Rat in vegetation

One of the first things you’ll notice if you spend any time around rats is how much they clean themselves. Whether it’s a pet rat in a cage or a wild rat you spot outside, they’re constantly grooming and washing. It’s actually pretty cute to watch as they scrub their faces with their tiny paws … Read more

Why Do Rats Wrap Their Tails? (How and Why They Do It

Black rat in a glass cage

Rat tails are one of their most distinctive features. Long, pink, scaly, and surprisingly strong, these tails do way more than you might think. If you watch your rats closely, you’ll notice they wrap their tails around things, around themselves, and sometimes around you. This behavior is both functional and communicative. But why do rats … Read more